Day 30… Hallelujah!

Today marked the last day of me being on The Whole 30 (you can read about the beginning here). I started the program so I could detox my body from all the sweets, cakes and chips I had been eating, and I started it with enough time to complete it before my next half-marathon, which just happens to be this Sunday. I wanted to see if detoxing could possibly help with my running.

The program was a total success. I stayed true blue the entire 30 days, but I won’t lie, it wasn’t easy.

I had to dig deep to fight the overwhelming cravings in the first week.

By the third week, I had lost interest in cooking and food and all the planning required. But I persevered.

By the fourth week, I was starting to look forward to all the food that was about to open up to me again.

However, by day 28, when I would think about eating bread or dairy or even sweets, I felt no desire to add these things back into my diet. The thought of eating a donut or a piece of cake made my tummy hurt.

On day 30, I had the best peach ever for dessert which signaled my eating shut-off valve. I have won my battle.

So let me break down some of the good for you:

No more cravings. I only “want” something nowadays; however, with a small amount of willpower, I can say no. I don’t have to have it.

No tummy issues. No heartburn, no stomachaches, no nausea, nothing.

Increased energy.

I never feel bloated.

I don’t have to measure my food, nor do I have to count calories. I eat as much as I want and whatever my body requires, sometimes an entire cookie sheet of roast veggies. Even if I reach the level of “full,” I never feel “stuffed,” as if I ate too much.

I can eat fruit again without any GI issues!

I mentioned before that I would share a couple of numbers. The third week of the diet, I went to my doctor and had some labs drawn.

While I was in the normal range to begin with, I still managed to take another 5 points off my total cholesterol. All other values are also within normal.

My glucose remains in the normal range (a biggie for me because of the hypoglycemia).

And the final important number that you might be wondering about… yes, I lost weight…14.6 pounds to be exact, which is 6.6 kg, or just over 1 stone.

Me with a baby squirrel. They eat all the time too, 😀

I’m ready to stop obsessing about food now. Moving forward, I’ll follow the program to the letter every other month and I’ll relax a bit in between, although I’ll still follow the principles (at the very least up until my marathon). At the suggestion of a fellow blogger, Chocolate Runs Judy, I’ll give my next Whole 30 update in 6 months. Will I stick to it? Will I lose more weight? Will I finish my very first 26 point 2? Does The Whole 30 have staying power? Stay tuned…

In the meantime…

It’s a new dawn; it’s a new day; it’s a new life for me… and I’m feeling good…

I know… it’s really hard to get mentally there, so I totally understand, but I was ready. When you’re ready, you will too. It can be difficult with a toddler toddling about. And I’ve never heard the version by Muse… I will have to check it out! 😀

Thank you so much Ben!! And if there’s a race, there are always pastries to be had, hehe! Actually, I’m not wanting a pastry near as much as I want a Starbucks Smores frappacino after the race! Oooo, I can’t wait, 🤣 (seee, it’s all about the chocolate, lol)

Congratulations Paula. Loving the numbers at the end, but perhaps more impressed by the way you’ve stuck to it and really gained the mental effects of this diet as well. While you should be able to enjoy food (and it seems like a rather unfortunate side-effect that it was a bit lost), perhaps future months of this diet with this practice will enable you to try more experiments. I’m intrigued that you plan to do this every other month.

Well, miles and good health are the most important. It’s also better to get the weight down before serious training than during, since you’ll need all the energy for training. You did it right and you look great!

Well done! Good luck on the race this weekend as well.
These next comments are food for thought:
1. Tracking food is a good idea (even if you eat similar foods regularly) because it provides a baseline and helps identify changes needed IF blood values change over time. Modifying dietary needs in this case (rather than turning to pharmaceuticals) would be a first line of “attack” option. Without logging foods, this option is not available.
2. Consider asking your doctor to do a more in depth cholesterol panel. Serum cholesterol, HDL, LDL and Triglycerides do not offer enough information to accurately measure cardiac risks. Ask for a VAP panel. VAP stands for Vertical Auto Profile. It includes particle density and size; two significant risk factors for cardiac disease excluded from traditional cholesterol panels.
3. Consider the 80-90% clean eating as a LONG TERM approach to maintaining weight and health. It leaves room to satisfy “WANTS” (vs. CRAVINGS) without creating feelings of deprivation.

Just a few ideas to consider. Do well in your race, but most importantly, ENJOY yourself!

Thank you Doctor Jonathan! And thank you for the wonderful advice as well. I absolutely will take all this into consideration as it makes total sense. I’ve actually asked my doc for a cardiology consult and workup this summer just for good measure before my full marathon, so I will ask the cardiologist for a VAP. And I do like the idea of eating clean mostly with possibly a treat here and there. That’s definitely a good long-term plan! 😁

Bravo for your commitment! I cleaned up my eating in a similar way a few years ago and it was life changing in so many ways, my favorite being that I actually started to crave foods that were good for me. Of course I cheat sometimes but luckily when you do something for long enough, it really can become engrained (just like the bad choices can!). Will be interested to see how you feel your nutrition changes your running–it’s changed mine completely, night and day. Running my first full in November! Anyway, great post! Thanks!

Thanks Cat! And I appreciate the input!! You have given me great hope then that I will rock the course tomorrow!! And yes, I definitely crave different things now. It’s amazing how all that works! My first full is in October and I’m terrified, lol! Happy training, and thanks for the follow!! 😁

So awesome your first half is in October–I can’t wait to follow your journey! I’m terrified as well but also incredibly inspired and excited and emotional–just, ALL the feelings 😜. Thanks for the follow as well! x

Oh my gosh! So amazing!! and wow, your 2nd? so impressive! Good luck with training! BTW, how do you get your name on your shirt? Is that something you do on your own? Only asking cause i read a race recap of someone’s that said that you could get it done at their marathon expo. not sure if NYC did that or not.

Hey there! Yeah- I was very slow last time, let the excitement and fun blow my training/fuel plan and ended up with some mild hyponatremia at the end…. So did it once to prove this fat girl could, now do it again to do it better 🙂 I wore a purple team in training shirt and wrote my name on a piece of bright yellow duct tape and slapped it on my chest! As long as people can see it, they’ll yell for you! Think bright and high contrast and you’ve got it!!

I’ve been thinking a lot about this Whole30… seems like a lot of people are having great success. You did great! I’ll have to do some research 🙂 What marathon are you working toward? I’m going to run NYC in November…..

It is a great program and I was super pleased with the results! I am training for the Marine Corps Marathon, my first ever, very nervous about it, especially that very last mile going up the hill that the marines won’t let you walk up, lol! Congrats on getting into NYC! I know that one is hard to get in! Good luck with your training!!

I hate when that happens. I have blogs I follow who disappear on my reader as well, and then I have to adjust my settings to make certain I’m getting the email. The reader just can’t be trusted anymore, ☺

The best feeling, right?! 😊 Although to your point about gaining weight back, I totally get it. It’s like everything diet… one has to restrict or moderate to keep the weight off, and gawd how I hate that!! Lol 😁